NLEast_Philadelphia Phillies

2014 Oakland Gameday HQ

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
5-YEAR SCORECARD
2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
WINS 77 81 102 97 93
RUNS PER GAME 3.8 4.2 4.4 4.8 5.1
RUNS ALLOWED PER GAME 4.6 4.2 3.3 4.0 4.4
OPENING DAY PAYROLL 159 172 165 138 113
Cliff Lee
2014 STRENGTHS:
• good top-of-the-order pitching rotation
2014 WEAKNESSES:
• aging and injury-prone roster
• infield defense
If you are a fan of oldies acts, this is
the team for you. It’s possible that as
many as nine members of the Phillies’
opening-day roster will be at least 35
years old. The team is betting that the
core that did so much from 2007-11
has one more run in it, even though
evidence from the past two years would
suggest otherwise.
HITTING
As you can see in the 5-Year Scorecard, the
Phillies’ offense has fallen off considerably from
the end of the last decade, when runs were
plentiful. And if you think things were fat in
2009, consider that the team scored 5.5 runs
each time out in 2007. Injury has been a huge
culprit, since Ryan Howard’s torn Achilles and
subsequent knee issues, and Chase Utley’s bum
knee have hurt the middle of the lineup. But
both had fallen off considerably before they
were hurt. In Howard’s last full season, 2011, he
hit 33 homers, 25 fewer than his high-water
mark in 2006. Utley had 31 dingers in 2009
but only 16 after that. Domonic Brown showed
promise and some good power numbers last
year, and newcomer (and former Phillie)
Marlon Byrd had a strong year with the Mets
and Pirates last year. Aging shortstop Jimmy
Rollins must adjust to life away from the leadoff
spot, while catcher Carlos Ruiz is unlikely to
replicate his strong 2012 season, which is
considered an aberration.
NL EAST
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